Repotting guide

When & how to repot Radicchio 'Rossa di Verona' (Cichorium intybus var. foliosum 'Rossa di Verona')

Also called Verona radicchio, round red chicory.

More about radicchio 'rossa di verona'

About Radicchio 'Rossa di Verona'

Cichorium intybus var. foliosum 'Rossa di Verona' · also called Verona radicchio, round red chicory · edible

'Rossa di Verona' is the classic round-headed radicchio, forming a tight cabbage-like ball of deep red leaves veined with white. Cool autumn weather and frost trigger the colour change and sweeten its crisp, bitter leaves. Sown in summer, it hearts up for autumn and early-winter cutting in temperate gardens.

Mature size: 15-25 cm tall, heads roughly 10-15 cm across

How to tell radicchio 'rossa di verona' needs repotting

Repotting on a calendar is less reliable than reading the plant. For radicchio 'rossa di verona', watch for these signs:

Roots circling the bottom of the module or pot, or poking out of the drainage holes.
The seedling dries out within a day and growth has visibly stalled.
Roots are white and matted in a tight spiral when you tip the plant out.
It has outgrown its current container for the stage of the season — pot radicchio 'rossa di verona' on before it becomes hard root-bound.

For the underlying biology of a pot-bound root system and why it stalls a plant, see our guide to spotting and fixing a root-bound plant.

How often to repot radicchio 'rossa di verona'

Pot on seedlings as they grow; not a perennial repot. Radicchio 'Rossa di Verona'is grown for one season, so the question is really “how often to pot on” — keep moving it up before the roots circle. Compact, tightly hearting rosette forming a round cabbage-like head on a deep taproot; if overwintered into a second year it bolts to a branched stem with blue flowers..

What size pot to step radicchio 'rossa di verona' up to

Pot radicchio 'rossa di verona' on gradually — a seedling jumped straight into a huge pot sits in cold, wet, airless soil and stalls. Step up one or two sizes at a time as the roots fill each container, finishing in a large final pot or the ground. The aim is roots that never circle and never check.

Not sure of the exact diameter? Our pot size calculator takes the current pot and root spread and tells you the right next size — it deliberately recommends a single step up, never a big jump.

The best time of year to repot radicchio 'rossa di verona'

Pot radicchio 'rossa di verona' on through the active growing season, whenever roots fill the current container — there is no single date, just "before it becomes root-bound". Avoid potting on during a cold snap.

Step-by-step: repotting radicchio 'rossa di verona'

Pot on before it is root-bound. Check radicchio 'rossa di verona' regularly; move it up as soon as roots reach the edge of the cell or pot, not after they have circled.
Step up one or two sizes. Choose the next container up — not a giant one. Cold, wet, unused soil around a small root system stalls seedlings.
Knock it out gently. Support the stem, tip the pot, and ease the rootball out without breaking it. A little teasing of circled roots at the base is fine.
Pot into rich mix. Set it into fresh fertile, moisture-retentive loam, ph 6.0-6.8 at the same depth (tomatoes are the exception — they can go deeper to root along the stem).
Water in and grow on. Water well, keep it in good light, and resume feeding once it is established and growing again.

Aftercare

Water radicchio 'rossa di verona' in well and keep it in bright light; a freshly potted-on seedling can wilt for a day while roots settle, so do not overcompensate by drowning it. Do not fertilise for about 1 week — fresh mix already carries nutrients and feeding freshly disturbed roots scorches them.

The right soil mix for radicchio 'rossa di verona'

Radicchio 'Rossa di Verona' wants fertile, moisture-retentive loam, ph 6.0-6.8. Rich, well-cultivated soil with ample organic matter produces the best hearts. Firm, fertile ground with good drainage encourages tight balls and discourages premature flowering. Always use fresh mix when you repot — reusing old, broken-down soil reintroduces the compaction and poor drainage you are repotting to fix.

Repotting radicchio 'rossa di verona' — frequently asked questions

How often should you repot radicchio 'rossa di verona'?

Pot on seedlings as they grow; not a perennial repot for radicchio 'rossa di verona'. Radicchio 'Rossa di Verona' is a seasonal crop, so you pot it on as a growing plant rather than repotting a perennial. Step seedlings up gradually into fertile, moisture-retentive loam, ph 6.0-6.8 so the roots never circle the cell, ending in a large final container. A root-bound transplant stalls and never fully recovers.

What size pot does radicchio 'rossa di verona' need?

When is the best time of year to repot radicchio 'rossa di verona'?

Can you put radicchio 'rossa di verona' straight into a much bigger pot?

No. Even a fast-growing radicchio 'rossa di verona' should only go up one pot size at a time. A vastly oversized pot holds a reservoir of wet soil the roots cannot reach, which stays cold and soggy and rots the roots — the opposite of what you wanted.

Should you fertilise radicchio 'rossa di verona' after repotting?

Not immediately. Wait about 1 week after repotting radicchio 'rossa di verona'. Fresh mix already contains nutrients, and feeding freshly cut or disturbed roots burns them. Resume your normal feeding routine once you see new growth.